Bloated Stomach: What Causes Bloating?

Bloating is caused by gas or air trapped in the abdomen and can cause mild to severe discomfort. Extreme cases can cause difficulty eating or breathing. Although bloating can be a signal that something is amiss in your diet or digestive tract, in general, bloating is relatively common and isn’t cause for concern. A healthy lifestyle and an understanding of digestive disorders can help reduce and prevent bloating.

Symptoms Associated With Bloating

While bloating is a symptom itself, there are some classic characteristics that can help you differentiate bloating from other conditions. The following is a short list of general indicators:

The Most Common Causes of Bloating

Most people will experience bloating at some point, but some people retain gas significantly more often. Some of the factors that make bloating more likely include overeating, dysbiosis (imbalance of the intestinal gut flora), bowel obstruction, and digestive disorders like IBS, IBD, ulcerative colitis, and celiac disease.

Many people confuse bloating with water retention, but they are different. Menstruation, hormonal changes, and eating food that's high in salt may cause you to retain water, but this is not bloating.

Below are some of the most common causes of bloating.

1. IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) causes discomfort and bloating. One study defined the change in normal bowel function as "life-altering."[1] Many studies find that IBS is most likely to cause bloating when people eat complex carbohydrates, certain types of fat, and food that stimulates an allergic response.[2]

2. Swallowed Air

The frequent swallowing of air while chewing can cause bloating and other discomforts until it's released (usually by belching).[3] Chew slowly to reduce the amount of air that you swallow.

3. Inulin

Inulin is a naturally occurring source of fiber that’s found in bananas, asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke, jicama, leeks, onions, and garlic. Some inulin is beneficial and even acts as a prebiotic, but too much can cause bloating and cramping in certain people. One study found that inulin caused gas and bloating in individuals who had no other history of gastrointestinal disorders.[4]

5. Alcohol

Researchers have found that alcohol worsens IBS symptoms and affects your gut microbiota.[6] The effects of alcohol vary based on your pattern of drinking.

6. Medication

Some types of medication can cause bloating, particularly formulas that contain sorbitol and lactulose.[7] Many sweet-tasting liquid medications taken by mouth have these ingredients. Antibiotics can kill both the harmful and healthy bacteria in your system. Disrupting your gut microbiota can affect normal digestion and result in bloating.

7. Artificial Sweeteners

For many people, artificial sweeteners negatively affect their digestive system. Synthetic sugar substitutes like sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, and erythritol can give you gas, diarrhea, and even provoke nausea.[8]

8. Harmful Organism Overgrowth

When a small number of good bacteria remain in the large intestine, you become susceptible to the overgrowth of detrimental bacteria. In lesser cases, this internal stress can lead to gas and bloat, in more severe cases, it can lead to constipation or diarrhea.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is caused by bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. In general, gut bacteria should only remain in the very last stretch of the small intestine, but when they proliferate and start creeping back toward the stomach, they can cause weight loss, diarrhea, bloating, and inhibit the movement of the contents of your intestines.[9]

9. Food Intolerances

Dairy and lactose intolerance is a well-known food sensitivity commonly associated with bloating and gas. It results when your intestines fail to produce lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose.[10]

10. Certain Foods and Drinks

Carbonated water and soda are obvious contributors to bloating. If you’re already bloated, skip the fizzy drinks and drink purified water instead. In the same vein, some foods are famous for their ability to cause gas and bloating. These include beans, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, apples, onions, pears, corn, cereal grains, and other fiber-rich foods. If you don’t have enough fiber-digesting probiotic organisms in your gut, these foods may cause gas and bloating.[10]

11. Constipation

Constipation may cause bloating because your gut microbiota is interacting with trapped stool and producing gas in your colon. If you have a history of bowel obstruction combined with bloating and constipation, consult your natural health care practitioner for personalized guidance.

Diet to Prevent Bloating

If you’re not sure what’s causing your discomfort, try an elimination diet. There are many different options that are available online, but this is the one we recommend:

Try to stick to this diet for six to eight weeks. You can slowly add the foods from the elimination list back into your diet, just make sure you add them one at a time to find the source of the bloating. Here are some recipes you can rely on while you’re on the elimination diet.

How to Alleviate Bloat Right Now

If you feel bloated and haven’t been able to relieve the pressure, try massaging your stomach. Begin at your right hip, apply pressure as you draw your palm up toward your right ribs, across to your left ribs, down to your left hip, and back to the starting point. Continue this circular motion until you feel better; it should only take a minute or two to feel relief.

You can also try drinking ginger or peppermint tea. For ginger tea, simply cut a few slices of fresh ginger and add to hot water. To make peppermint tea, pour near-boiling water over fresh peppermint leaves.

Your body should naturally produce many of the enzymes required to digest food, but if you have an unpredictable stomach, try adding supplemental enzymes like VeganZyme® to your diet. VeganZyme is formulated with a comprehensive spectrum of digestive and systemic enzymes for superior gut support and function.

Keeping Bloat at Bay

A better solution to fiber-associated bloat is to cultivate the right gut microbiota to help you get the most nutrition out of your diet. Limit foods that do little for your health like artificial sugars, alcohol, and processed foods that contain inulin. Drink plenty of pure, filtered water and avoid soda. Eat a diet that's rich in fiber and other prebiotics to feed strong, healthy probiotic colonies.

A probiotic supplement like Floratrex™ can give your gut a probiotic boost to promote diversity. A wide range of bacterial species in the colon provides you with the digestive and intestinal support you need keep your gut happy, healthy, and bloat-free.

How do you get rid of bloating? Leave a comment below and share your insight.

†Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Global Healing Center does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Global Healing Center are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

All testimonials and product reviews are authentic from actual customers. Documentation is available for legal inspection. Product reviews are within range of typicality.

Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your treating doctor. Global Healing Center does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Global Healing Center are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician. This Web site contains links to Web sites operated by other parties. Such links are provided for your convenience and reference only. We are not responsible for the content or products of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site. Global Healing Center does not adopt any medical claims which may have been made in 3rd party references. Where Global Healing Center has control over the posting or other communications of such claims to the public, Global Healing Center will make its best effort to remove such claims.